This invention relates to the provision of potent and long acting deodorant compositions containing, as an active ingredient, isolates from theaceae plants. More particularly, it relates to deodorant compositions containing isolates which are obtained by dry-distillation mainly from leaves of the theaceae plant, which isolates are refined to the extent to exhibiting fixed properties.
It has been known that leaves and the other parts of theaceae plants such as Thea sinensis, Camellia japonica, Cleyera ochnaceae and Eurya japonica have a deodorant effect and one of the present inventors and his collaborators disclosed in Japanese Non-examined Patent Publication Gazette No. 66434/1978 deodorant compositions containing as an active ingredient a crude and colored substance extracted from theaceae plants; however, little was disclosed in said Japanese publication relating to physical and chemical properties of the active ingredient.
Further, because this process was carried out by extracting raw materials with solvents such as water, alcohols, ketones and isopropanol under reflux, the extracts were not as effective for deodorization as the active ingredient of the present invention.